Finance Minister authorized Ato Forson to sign letter requesting for establishment of letters of credit-Defense lawyer tells Agyeman Manu
Counsel for Dr Cassiel Ato Forson,Dr Abdul Basit Aziz Bamba,has told Health Minister Kweku Agyeman Manu at a Financial and Economic Court in Accra that Dr Forson did not act in a personal capacity when he signed a letter on behalf of his boss,the Finance Minster requesting the establishment of letters of credit in favour of Big Sea Limited for the purchase of some ambulances.
Mr Agyeman Manu appeared in court for the second time as a prosecution witness in a case of willfully causing Financial loss to the state brought against Dr Forson and two others by the state.
During cross examination after Mr Agyeman Manu had been led in his evidence in chief by Attorney General, Godfred Dame,Dr Bamba inquired from The witness if he was aware that the then Finance Minster had disclosed during investigations into the matter that he authorized his then Deputy,Dr Forson, to sign a letter dated 7th August,2014 requesting the Bank of Ghana through the Controller and Accountant General to establish letters of credit in favour of the Dubai based outfit. Dr Forson has been charged with causing financial loss to the state without due cause and authorization by the Akufo-Addo government.
Upon further cross-examination,Mr Agyeman Manu admitted that it was not unusual for Deputy Minsters and Chief Directors to sign letters on the authority of their Minsters.
He added that if Ministers discovered that letters had been signed on their behalf without recourse to them, they took action which included querying the errant officials or giving directives that all such future correspondence should be done only after their express instructions.
When asked by Dr Bamba if he was aware that the Finance Minister at the time had told investigators that he asked Dr Forson to sign the said letter,Mr Agyemang Manu said he was unaware of this.
Mr Agyeman Manu also admitted under cross-examination that letters of credit did not constitute payment in themselves but offered a guarantee of payment if specified conditions were met.
